Go Back

Irish Chicken in Whiskey Cream Sauce

Irish chicken whiskey cream sauce featuring golden seared chicken breasts, mushrooms, shallots, and an amber whiskey pan sauce simmered to a thick, silky consistency. A Celtic-inspired dinner with fresh thyme flecks throughout that’s ideal for an easy St. Patrick's Day meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Irish-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme to taste
Searing and sauté base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 shallots finely minced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
Whiskey cream sauce
  • 0.33 cup Irish whiskey Jameson
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear until golden and cooked through to 165°F, 5-6 minutes per side.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Keep any juices in the skillet for the sauce.
Build the whiskey cream sauce
  1. Melt butter in the same pan. Cook shallots and mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden, 5-6 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir to keep the aromatics from browning too quickly.
  3. Remove the pan from heat and carefully pour in Irish whiskey. Return to medium heat and let the alcohol cook off for 1-2 minutes, until the sharp smell fades.
  4. Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and fresh thyme leaves. Simmer until the sauce thickens, 5-6 minutes.
Finish and garnish
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon whiskey cream sauce over each breast. Simmer briefly just to reheat the chicken, then serve immediately.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Spoon extra amber sauce over the top before plating.

Notes

For the best browning, pat chicken dry before seasoning and sear in a hot pan without moving the breasts too often. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid sauce breaking. Freeze is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a thinner but still flavorful whiskey cream sauce.